Improved hod



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SHORT, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED HOD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SHORT, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hods; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom pan ying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the hod with the handle extended. Fig. 2 is a side eleva-- tion with the handle folded.

Myinvention consists in applying to the under side of the hod, Where the same rests upon the shoulder, a iiexible bag, as will be presently described, for enabling the workman to carry the hod With much more ease than heretofore.

It also consists in the combination, with said hod, of afolding handle, the construction of which will be presently described.

To enable others to understand my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the hod, which is made in the Xordinary Way, and intended to be carried on the shoulderin the usual manner-thatis, with the sharp corners, Where the two side boards are united, resting upon the shoulder. y

To the under part of this hod I attach a piece of ordinary india-rubber tubing, B, otany desired size. This at once furnishes a soft pad, and causes the hod to rest easily upon the shoulder, as can be readily understood.

Instead of the tubing, I propose using sometimes an air-pad, composed of india-rubber, gutta-percha, or other suitable material, Which can be filled with air when desired, and thus the effect would be the same.

The handle is attached to the hod in the or- G being attached to the hod, and the piece C.

connected to the piece G by a hinge, a, or in any other manner that Will admit of its being` readily folded up.

In order to keep the handle folded, when desired, I insert a hook, b, in the part O of the` handle, which, when the said part C is folded,

sinks into aslot, c, in the part O of the handle. The slide D is run down over the hook, as shown in Fig. 2, and the handle is retained. The advantages of having a folding handle are apparent.

It is ofttimes necessary to have a long handle to a hod, and this invention provides one; and it is ofttimes necessary, ou the other hand, to have a short one, when carrying brick and mortar` up ladders, and thisinvention provides l'or this by having the handle folded.

This invention is simple and useful. The rubber tubing or airbag can be attached to any kind of hod now in use and a very desirable article willbe produced, and the old method of nailing pieces of carpets, rags, &c., to the bottom ot' the hod to prevent the same hurting the shoulder Will be obviated in a perfectly satisfactory and a very simple Way.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The rubber tubing B, or an equivalent thereof, in combination with a hod, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The folding handle C C in combination with a hod, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

JAMES SHORT.

Witnesses J AMES LIRIGO, J AMES BROADBENT. 

